Sustainable Production and Utilization of ‘Ōhelo
as an Edible Berry and Ornamental Crop
Francis Zee1, Lisa Keith1, Amy Strauss1, Claire Arakawa1, Tristan Foote1, Kim Hummer2, Barbara Reed2, Nahla Bassil2, Stuart T. Nakamoto3, Randall Hamasaki3, Milton Yamasaki3, Andrew Kawabata3, Bob Durst4, Allan K. Ikawa5, Jodi Silva5, Ken Love6, Yongjian Chang7
SCRI Project GoalsClonal propagation and production
protocolsEstablish molecular fingerprinting
andCryopreservation methodology Conduct fruit nutrient analysesDetermine host-pathogen
interactions
SCRI Project Goals
Produce ohelo as an ornamental from flask to nursery to market
Prepare economic feasibility analyses of ohelo as ornamental potted plant
Provide extension and outreach Develop seed based production
protocols Initiate value added products and
culinary research
Pélé Goddess of Fire•Destroyed >100 structures since 1983•Added >70 acres to the SE coast
Ōhelo Species Height Fruit
Vaccinium reticulatum Smith
Low Yellow, red, purple, blue
Vaccinium calycinum Smith Tall Red, globose
Vaccinium × pahalae Skottsberg
Mid Red, egg shape
Vaccinium dentatum Smith low Red, globe
Attractive red and green foliage
Attractive flowers
Cultivated for edible fruits
‘Ōhelo plants around the Volcano Area
GoalsReduce wild gathering of
‘ōhelo for commercial uses.
Reduce traffic and the spread of invasive weeds
Provide a sustainable (supply) of berries for culinary and value added product research (demand).
Two hand-full of berries to start
Dr. Francis Zee and Vaccinium reticulatum seedlings
Ohelo Cultivar Releases 2009
Kilauea NeneRed Button
New Selections
‘Ōhelo
Propagation Seed, Cuttings, Tissue
CultureIdentificationUtilization
Fruit nutrient analysisCulinary uses
‘Ōhelo PROPAGATION
Seed Cuttings Tissue Culture Cold storage/ Cryogenics
Ohelo from seeds …
… to seedOhelo seeds
‘Ōhelo seed storage and germination
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5
% S
eed
s ge
rmin
ated
Months of germinationStored at -20 C for 3 mo - A Stored at RT for 3 mo - B
12 month cryopreservation A 12 month cryopreservation B
Barbara Reed USDA-ARS
Clonal Propagation of ‘ōhelo
Cold Storage in semipermeable bagsfor 12-16 months
Red Button
Kilauea Nene
Barbara Reed USDA-ARS
Cold Storage of Shoot Cultures
Barbara Reed USDA-ARS
‘Red Button’ cryopreserved with encapsulation dehydration. S = sucrose treatment, D = dehydration, the others were exposed to liquid nitrogen
Barbara Reed USDA-ARS
Cryopreservation of ‘ōhelo clones
Kilauea Red Button Nene0
20
40
60
80
100
Encapsulation Dehydration
Sucrose control Drying control Cryopreserved
% R
egro
wth
Barbara Reed USDA-ARS
Field and Nursery managementProduced 50 lb of ‘ōhelo berry for R&D
May to July 2010
33.1 lbs from potted ohelo plants 17.2 lbs from field planting
NO9-16 clones
A sustainable source of ‘ōhelo seeds for germplasm requests
Six inch ohelo seedlings for BIAN plant saleUSDA/ARS display and information table
NO6-7 Bonsai
‘Ōhelo
•Holiday foliage plant•Landscape plant•Fruit production •Culinary product development
Ōhelo
‘Ōhelo Identification by Molecular Markers Cultivar – Genetic Diversity assessment
Microsatellite marker-based fingerprints for three important selections
Nene Kilaua Red Button294
308294
296
294 298
Tested 23 blueberry (V. corymbosum) SSRsNA741: an example of one SSR that differentiates between 3 selections
Selections NA398 CA794 NA172 VCC_I2 CA421 NA741 NA1040 NA800
‘Nene’ 225, 229 238, 242 184 210, 212 191, 193 294, 308 192, 208 198, 200, 208
‘Kilauea’ 217, 221 236, 238 186, 188 210 193, 217 294, 298 194, 220 198, 202, 206
‘Red Button’ 213, 229 238, 248 182, 184 210, 212 195, 207 294, 296 208, 248 198, 200
Microsatellite marker-based fingerprints for three important selections
Eight SSRs reliably distinguish between these selections
R e dB utto n
K ila ue a
N 1 0 -2 6
N 1 0 -1 7
N e ne
N 0 9 -1 6
N 1 0 -2 7
0.05
Dendrogram based on microsatellite analysis using six primer pairs.
V ret Ohelo 6 V ret Ohelo 9 V ret 780 V ret Ohelo 7 V cal 1812 V cal 1814
Hawaiian Taxa
V praes 1626 V praes 1569 V praes 1570
V. praestans
V memb 1372 V memb 141 V memb 1213 V scop V myrt 464 V myrt 1622 V myrt 379 V oval 1118 V oval 1189 V parv 436 V myrt 627 V oval 1421 V cesp 1489 Bluecrop V cesp 1651 V oval 1546 V myrt 1684-1 V myrt 1684-3 V oval 1375 V del 403 3 V del 403 6 V oval 1252 V oval 1258
0.05
9796
99
71
100
83Section Myrtillus
SSRs for 10 species in section Myrtillus
Hawaiian taxa more recently derived
Russian V. praestans grouped together
Genetically identical V. myrtillus 1684-1 and 1684-3 from Kalmiopsis Wilderness, OR.
• Germplasm conservation• Sustainable germplasm resource for research • Ornamental potted plants• Alternate source from wild harvest• Sustainable and reliable source of berry for culinary and value added product uses.
Diseases of ‘Ōhelo Pucciniastrum vaccini Rust
Leaf spots and sudden collapse - Calonectria sp.
Powdery MildewMicrosphaera sp.30 days after inoculation
Fruit Analysis Summary Anthocyanins
Similar to cranberry, but v. low peonidin
Rich source of phenolics
Acids
Similar profile to cranberry, but lower amounts
Sugar profile
Extremely Good source of PAC’s
Especially V. calycinum
Pro Anthocyanadins
Species DMAC (mg-A2 equiv/100g)
V. macrocarpon
125V. reticulatum 117-146V. calycinum 996-1183
10 x as much!
‘Ōhelo - Utilization
Culinary recipesOhelo Berry and Horseradish Pot RoastSweettart Ohelo-Berry Compote Foie Gras with Ohelo BerriesGoat Cheese and Ohelo Berry
BruschettaGrilled Lime Tequila Chicken with Ohelo
Berry and Pineapple SauceOhelo and Oatmeal PieOhelo glazed DuckOhelo creamed cheese pie
SCRI Project GoalsClonal propagation and production
protocolsEstablish molecular fingerprinting Cryopreservation methodology Conduct fruit nutrient analysesDetermine host-pathogen
interactions
SCRI Project Goals
Produce ohelo as an ornamental from flask to nursery to market
Prepare economic feasibility analyses of ohelo as ornamental potted plant
Provide extension and outreach Develop seed based production
protocols Initiate value added products and
culinary research
SUCCESS!
Cooperators1U.S. Dept. Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA, ARS) Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC) P.O. Box 4487, Hilo, Hawaii 96720;
2USDA ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR), 33447 Peoria Road, Corvallis, Oregon, 97333-2521;
3University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH, CTAHR), 1955East-West Rd. AgSci 314B, .Honolulu, HI 96822;
4Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-6512;
5Research & Development, Big Island Candies, Hilo, HI;
6Hawaii Tropical Fruit Grower Association, President and Agriculture Chair of the American Culinary Federation chapter – Kona Kohala Chefs Association, Kona, HI;
7North American Plants LLC, McMinnville, OR 97128-8410.
Thank you to everyone!